The Four Arts of the Chinese Scholar, also known as Siyi in Chinese, is a term refers to the four main accomplishments for a qualified Chinese scholar. In Chinese, they are called Qin, Qi, Shu and Hua, also called Zither, Go Game, Calligraphy and Painting in English. In Chinese culture, reason, expression and dexterity are rated hihly when judge an educated man. Therefroe, the Four Arts also becomes a platform for scholars to compete against each other. Throughout the history, each educated person strvied to excel in the Four Art Forms.

The concept of Four Arts has a very long history and the earliest written record for putting the four together is Zhang Yanyuan’s Fashu Yaolu in the Tang Dynasty (618–906). As “the four arts”, the concept was first found in the Xianqing ouqi by Li Yu (1610 – 1680).